sleep study found apnea, but only when on my back

Thanks all. I think I'm going to go forward and try a machine.

Pugsy wrote:

kteague wrote:Ok, somebody help me out here, but isn't that a disproportionate number of centrals?

It appears to be disproportionate but I can't tell when they were flagged...we know it wasn't in REM but beyond that I can't tell if maybe they were sleep onset or whatever or if may awake/semi awake when they would be numerically counted but not a factor in the diagnosis ( even if they were counted and not a factor). In other words a central that gets tossed out the window or not in terms importance as in coming up with a diagnosis.
I can't see well enough to get an idea or if they were associated with any desats.

Maybe Sludge could offer in put on this question if he's around. I can't see things very well and even if I could I am not sure what I am looking at. Don't know when those centrals occurred other than not in REM.

I asked the PA about that since what I read on the web about "central apnea" makes it sound scarier (brain or other neurological problems). She said that sometimes those happen when you're drifting between no sleep and the light stages of sleep and she wasn't as concerned about them. This was a really bad night of trying to sleep for me. very a-typical since I was congested, stressed out, uncomfortable due to probes, sleeping on my back (which I don't think I ever do), and listening to someone in the room over talking loudly much of the night.

I'm still puzzled by that since they were included in the count that led to the overall "34 per hour" "severe" diagnosis.

Because of the ca's make very sure you get a machine which will record them.

eyeball wrote:I'm still puzzled by that since they were included in the count that led to the overall "34 per hour" "severe" diagnosis.

That has me scratching my head also...if they were sleep onset (that transition thing the PA mentioned I thought they weren't considered part of the AH) I mean..if they are considered meaningless because they are sleep onset...then why add in with the AHI... Oh well...

Do for sure that you make absolutely certain that you get a full efficacy data machine that will flag centrals...just in case.

That would be either the full data ResMed machines or the PR System One machines with model number 460 or higher.
Read up on full efficacy data and "bricks" that only gather compliance hours of use data on those SD cards.
You absolutely want to be able to know about any centrals you might have especially with your history.
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/
and while you are at it what to expect from DME
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what-y ... me-part-i/

Resmed machines to avoid..in the S9 series...anything with "Escape" in the model name anywhere..just remember Escape and avoid it.
There is a new AirSense 10 model in the ResMed lines....
Avoid the AirSense 10 CPAP machine

Okay..would be the AirSense 10 Elite, AirSense 10 AutoSet and the AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her.

Start your reading...lots to learn and welcome to the forum.

One. Ore question, how much of the obstructive events (if sny) could be caused by nasal congestion?

My sinuses are always very dry and swollen feeling. Often when in bed I can breath through one nostril clearly when on my side but the other is closed solid where I get no air through it without a lot of force. When I'm on my back they're both stuffy.

Could it be possible that all of the events they recorded are just bad nasal congestion and that's why they cleared up when I rolled onto my side and fell asleep?

Depends on whether you're using too high or low of a setting on the humidifier, on whether you have physical blockage of your passages (only your MD could tell you), or allergies, etc. etc. Too high a setting can cause congestion, but for some the opposite is true.

No Julie, he's taking about his initial sleep study. Grasping at straws.

You're right, hadn't registered that.

RicaLynn wrote: Grasping at straws.

I take it that as "false positives are impossible"?

eyeball wrote:

RicaLynn wrote: Grasping at straws.

I take it that as "false positives are impossible"?

well, maybe if you pulled the sensors out of your nose.... for 10 or 15 seconds at a time then put 'em back in... repeatedly.

one would think, however, if you did dislodge the sensors, it would be for a longer period, and the machine would register no breaths for an extended period of time, and you'd be scored "dead" instead of "apnea'.

Unfortunately you had a terrible sleep that night! I wouldn't have enjoyed that! But that also makes me question the data. You barely slept when you were on your side, and when you did, it looks like you were often in your slow wave sleep - where it is common to have less respiratory events anyway. I'd be a little skeptical of the data to be honest.

eyeball wrote:One. Ore question, how much of the obstructive events (if sny) could be caused by nasal congestion?

My sinuses are always very dry and swollen feeling. Often when in bed I can breath through one nostril clearly when on my side but the other is closed solid where I get no air through it without a lot of force. When I'm on my back they're both stuffy.

Could it be possible that all of the events they recorded are just bad nasal congestion and that's why they cleared up when I rolled onto my side and fell asleep?

If this were due to nasal congestion, you would simply breathe through your mouth and be fine. People would be cured by simply breathing through their mouths. The actual obstructions are in your throat, further down. Clearing your nose may be more comfortable, but it won't prevent obstructive events. I breathe through my mouth all night, even when my nose is clear, and I still have 79 events per hour.

We tend to be worse on our backs because it is easier for the throat to collapse in that position. I am worse on my back, but I can snore and gasping while sitting up too.